Winchester Longbeard XR
The evolution of turkey-specific shotshells is nothing short of amazing. Long gone are the days when left-over autumn upland and waterfowl loads did double duty in the spring turkey woods. Today, there is a mind-boggling supply of game-changing ammunition designed specifically to reach out and touch gobblers at ranges that were unheard of a decade or so ago. Special-purpose turkey loads — combined with turkey-specific shotguns and chokes — are engineered to produce dense, consistent patterns, ensuring clean, ethical kills at extended ranges. They do this by delivering heavier payloads of advanced pellet materials such as tungsten, bismuth and copper-plated lead.
The goal of heavier payloads is to deliver a very dense pattern of pellets to the vital head-and-neck area of a turkey at longer ranges. But shotshell manufacturers are also aware that speed kills. Today’s high-octane turkey payloads leave the barrel at blazing speeds — most in the neighborhood of 1,200 to 1,350 fps — much faster than early turkey shotshells, typically loaded with fewer, larger lead or steel pellets. These increased velocities produce devastating terminal performance and swift, efficient kills.
And hunting retailers, be aware that ammo-buying customers can be extremely brand loyal — preferring one exclusively over all others. They will go elsewhere if they don’t find what they’re looking for. This, of course, means it’s critical that you have an extensive selection of brands in a full range of configurations on hand — across a broad band of price points.
There are some newcomers on the scene, but most of the popular ammunition manufacturers have been cranking out turkey loads for decades no,w capitalizing on materials and manufacturing processes. The result are high-tech shotshells that far exceed the effectiveness of those they were turning out in decades past — those with fewer, larger pellets, less sophisticated buffering that caused pellet deformation and an ethical reach of only 25 to 35 yards.
So when an army of gobbler getters come knocking on your store front door or click on your website, be sure you are locked and loaded to provide them with the best of the best in modern turkey-hunting loads. Here are eight tried-and-true examples to get you started.
Apex/Woodhaven Ninja Turkey
Apex Ammunition/Woodhaven Custom Calls Next Level Ninja TSS Shotshells ($69.99-$114.99/box of five) are a blend of Tungsten Super Shot designed specifically for turkey hunting. The Ninja series is packed with highly polished, dense and uniform No. 8.5 shot that combines the knockdown power of No. 8s with the pattern density of No. 9s, creating the best of both worlds. The result of feedback from avid turkey hunters, this premium blend delivers optimized lethality at varied distances, ensuring versatility in numerous hunting situations. Next Level Ninja is a lethal turkey load that bridges the gap between the original Apex Smalltown blend and Greenleaf blend shotshells. They are available in 12-, 20- and 28-gauge and .410-bore options.
Browning TSS Tungsten 3.5-inch 12-gauge
For turkey hunters who want a big bang for their buck, Browning TSS Tungsten 3.5-inch 12-gauge premium turkey hunting shotshells ($74.99/box of five) were designed to deliver exceptionally dense patterns and downrange energy using Tungsten Super Shot (TSS) instead of traditional lead or steel shot, delivering loads that are 60% denser than lead. These buffered payloads improve shot flow through choke tubes for tight, consistent patterns. The 2.25-ounce payload is a blend of No. 7 and No. 9 TSS pellets that leave the barrel at 1,200 fps and require a shotgun chambered for 3.5 shotshells.
Federal 28-gauge Heavyweight TSS
Kill gobblers at longer distances than ever before with Federal Premium Heavyweight TSS 28-gauge Turkey Loads ($67.99/2.75-inch; $82.99/3-inch) with advanced buffering material. The tungsten-alloy shot material’s 18 g/cc density is 56% more dense than lead, resulting in higher pellet counts and more energy at extreme ranges. Its rear-braking Flitecontrol Flex wad performs flawlessly through ported and standard turkey chokes for consistent, deadly patterns. Full-length wads prevent direct contact of the extra-hard pellets and the bore, protecting the barrel. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of Federal Heavyweight TSS is donated to the National Wild Turkey Federation.
Fiocchi Golden Turkey TSS
Fiocchi continues to meet the call of avid turkey hunters who appreciate the devastating knockdown power of Tungsten Super Shot (TSS). Boasting dense patterns, deep penetration and unparalleled long-range performance, Fiocchi’s Golden Turkey TSS raises the bar for turkey hunters seeking superior long-range results. Available in 3-inch loads for 12-gauge (1,200 fps), 20-gauge (1,225 fps), 28-gauge (1,350 fps) and .410 bore (1,100 fps), this ammunition is engineered to provide hard-hitting knockdown power, ensuring hunters are equipped for success in the field. The key to the Golden Turkey TSS’s exceptional performance lies in the use of the finest 18g/cc tungsten shot, ensuring consistent, lethal patterns. MSRP: N/A
Hevi-Shot Hevi-Bismuth Turkey
Nontoxic for the planet. Lethal on toms. With a blend of No. 4 and No. 5 shot made with 9.6 g/cc Hevi-Bismuth ($22.99/20-gauge box of five; $26.99/12-gauge box of five), turkey hunters get blistering speed and 22% more downrange energy compared to steel. The Hevi-Shot wad puts more of those pellets on gobblers, and the reliable primer and propellant deliver in any weather for all-season reliability. Hevi-Bismuth Turkey is available in two 3-inch loads — a 1.75-ounce option in 12-gauge (1,300 fps) and 1.25-ounce option in 20-gauge (1,300 fps). www.hevishot.com
Migra TSS Turkey Load
Migra TSS Turkey ($58-$70/box of five) is a premium turkey-specific hunting shotshell loaded with Tungsten Super Shot (TSS), with proprietary stacked-load technology designed for dense, reliable patterns. It’s available in 3-inch 12- and 20-gauge and .410-bore versions, loaded with No. 9 shot, or a No.7/9 shot combination for optimal performance. A multi-piece wad allows the payload to remain stable and settled, while a modern buffer combined with a sealed crimp and an overshot card keeps moisture out. All wads, powders and manufacturing processes are custom designed from the ground up to increase pattern consistency and shorten shot strings. Muzzle velocities: 12-gauge/1,200 fps; 20-gauge/1,100 fps; .410-bore/1,050 fps.
Remington Premier Magnum Turkey 20-Gauge
Remington 20-Gauge Premier Magnum Turkey Loads ($7.69/box of five) deliver the added penetrating power and dense, concentrated patterns serious turkey hunters demand. Its 2 ounces of magnum-grade, Copper-Lokt lead shot, which resists deformation for better pattern consistency, is protected by the Power Piston wad and cushioned with special polymer buffering that helps protect and stabilize the shot column for tight, uniform patterns. With a muzzle velocity of 1,185 fps, Premier Magnum Turkey loads are purpose-built to produce dense patterns and strong knockdown power from sub-gauge shotguns. Offered in 3-inch No. 6 shot, with a payload of 281 pellets.
Winchester 12-Gauge Longbeard XR
Forty yards has long been the standard by which all turkey loads were measured. No more. It’s time to go farther with Winchester’s Long Beard XR ($34.95-$39.95/box of 10). Featuring innovative Shot-Lok technology, Long Beard XR offers the tightest patterns and longest shot capability of any traditional turkey load with twice the pellets in a 10-inch circle out to 60 yards. A hardened resin fully encapsulates the shot pellets so they leave the barrel nearly perfectly round, which reduces deformation and produces extremely tight patterns and more pellets in the target zone, even at long range. Long Beard XR has the knockdown power of popular heavier-than-lead loads at a fraction of the cost.
